Former SA cricketer comes out in support of MS Dhoni

Former South African cricketer Lance Klusener has rated MS Dhoni as one of the best finishers of the game while stating that he still has a lot to offer. Klusener also extended his support for AB de Villiers and admitted that all players go through a bad phase but you can’t force them to quit.

The Indian cricket team has already started ticking boxes in a bid to prepare for the 2019 World Cup. However, the one question that still remains unanswered is the role of MS Dhoni in the team. Many cricket experts including India A coach Rahul Dravid and former cricketer Ajit Agarkar have pressed for taking a call on him and Yuvraj Singh at the earliest possible.

Both Dhoni and Yuvraj have struggled with form but have performed well on occasions to keep their place in the Indian team intact. However, cricket pundits believe their age and fitness will become a factor that will weigh upon their form and have insisted on youngsters being given a chance so that they can gain experience, which will come in handy during the World Cup.

However, Klusener felt that he still can contribute with his bat for the country.

“MS Dhoni too seems to be struggling to rediscover his old touch. Do you think the time has come for him to hang up his boots? It’s always easy to call for somebody’s stepping down. You have got to look at who is going to fill that gap?Is that person going to be better than Dhoni straightaway? He is one of the best finishers to ever play the game. Why would you want to get rid of him? I think India would be foolish to do so. He still has got a lot to offer,” Klusener told Cricbuzz.

AB De Villiers had played his last Test 19 months ago against England in Johannesburg when he was stand-in captain following Hashim Amla's resignation. Since then, he had been confirmed permanent leader but had to sit out what would have been in the first series in charge - against New Zealand last August - with an elbow injury. Then, in January this year, de Villiers announced a sabbatical from the longest format until at least December, when South Africa are due to host India. He cited workload management, with an eye on the 2019 World Cup, as the main reason for his decision. Klusener, though, supported de Villiers' decision.

“I feel de Villiers still has a lot of cricket left in him. He is right up there with the best in the world. All players go through lean patches no matter how good they are. You have to remember that he is not playing much Test cricket now. So, the volume of cricket he is playing is not as much as it used to be. Sometimes, that can lead to you taking your eye off the ball in terms of preparation and that is the adjustment he needs to make,” Klusener said.

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